When browsing through this week’s Choose Your Own Adventure readings, Nalatie’s blogpost, Hygge @ the Library, immediately caught my eye. I read Meik Wiking’s book, The Little Book of Hygge, and it changed the way I live my life. Similarly, the Dutch practice gezellig, which is also deeply rooted in how my husband and our family navigate this life. 

These concepts have been gaining in popularity for quite some time now. While many folks who’ve heard of these concepts see it as finding coziness and contentment, there’s much more than just that. It’s the idea of practicing rest, coziness, and quiet revelry when life isn’t so cozy.

Imagine this: there is a big storm outside, but you’re inside your home. You light candles, have a warm drink by your side, and you’re quietly enjoying a book. That’s hygge and gezellig. It’s about being present and embracing quiet stillness in the midst of chaos and noise. 

In America, we’re so used to the “grind” and working until we reach burnout. Practicing hygge/gezellig is needed by many in this country; on top of constantly working, the media machine churns out a consistent stream of news that makes people feel marginalized and alienated by our government. 

It’s difficult to find peace and quiet when there’s constant chaos…and…

I am a firm believer that rest is an act of rebellion. Hygge/gezellig gives us the mental space to rest, recharge, and care for ourselves and each other so that we can keep moving forward together as a community. 

So how can we best practice this radical idea of hygge?

Go the library.

They are the embodiment of hygge and gezellig. The libraries offer spaces to unwind whether it’s being in solitude or being in community. Ohe has the capacity to escape and enjoy leisure pursuits or reflect and learn. The libraries are a place to disconnect from the noise and step away from the “grind.”

In @michael‘s book, Whole-Hearted Librarianship, there is a chapter dedicated to hygge that is sticking with me.  He writes about the Yin and Yang of the hyperlinked library model, and wonders out loud if we’re moving towards a new style of engagement away from the chatter of the 24 hour news and information cycle. The concept of hygge might be the yin to the social media’s yang. (Stephens, 2019)

I couldn’t agree more with that idea. While I quite enjoy bringing the communities from the virtual world into the physical world, I also think it’s necessary for us to have some time to rest, reflect, and pause away from the interwebs. The world is constantly demanding from us. Libraries remind us that we can just simply be. That’s radical. And that’s what I think hygge is all about. 

References:

Stephens, M. (2019). Wholehearted Librarianship: Finding Hope, Inspiration, and Balance. ALA Editions.